


The bookworm

by lillash97



Series: 지금 널 찾아가고 있어 (Run To You) [3]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Books, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Magic, Realization, alittlebitofmagic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 22:59:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17876384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lillash97/pseuds/lillash97
Summary: Wonwoo is just looking for love, a jade-like beauty. He may have found one in books.





	The bookworm

**23 years old.**

**Jeon Wonwoo.**

**Literature Student.**

 

_ Today.  _

_ It’s not so different from my yesterday. I wake up, get washed and dressed. Keep up with a routine that I call life, but the truth is that I’m lonely.  _

_ Mom tends to describe me as an hopelessly romantic, a cloud-head, an idiot. I thought my love for books would keep me going with University when I applied for literature courses, but  I don’t even know when I will graduate.  _

_ It’s tiring. Waking up to a book after staying up late reading was once my favourite thing, but now I wake to books piled on the desk, in need of being studied, reviewed, analysed.  _

_ It’s not that I hate it, but I wish my life would be different. _

_ I wish for love, that kind you read in books and see in movies, that kind that’s bittersweet but leaves you with an happy ending.  _

 

Wonwoo sighs again. He picks up his toothbrush? He sighs. He puts the toothpaste on? He sighs. He washes his face? He pats it dry, but sighs. 

His morning routine goes on like so. Trivial, common actions of his life paired up with despaired huffs. He sits down, fixes himself a bowl of cereals and milk, while he checks his phone. 

No one contacted him. There is no one in his life, besides his books and his mom. His mom, right. Ever since he started university, she has been constantly on his bones, putting him down and whining about his graduation. _ “When will you even graduate? I pay for that shit classes you are taking? Can you even bother to go to class? Go get a job.” _

 

After having his mom ranting and going off for two years, he had enough. He still went to uni, but he spent most of the time in a bookshop, which he considered  _ home. _

Books comforted him. Some of them made him cry, some of them taught him things, some  of them made him laugh but others made him wish for someone, wish for someone to teach him love. 

His mom is right, he is an hopelessly romantic.

 

His sighs stop once he reaches the bookshop works in, ready for his morning shift before afternoon classes. His heart feels full, surrounded left and right by books and their scent. He likes their colours, mingled with the toned down brown of the wooden shelves. And  _ he truly believed that the greatest wealth of all was to be found in books.* _

 

His boss greats him, patting his shoulder and giving him a cup of freshly made, but warm coffee. Wonwoo really enjoys his company, although he is not used to freely conversate with someone, his boss’s presence eases him, not like his mother who only pries at his private life, throwing shaky remarks at him.

One time, he remembers, as he leaves his coffee on the counter to move some books down another isle, his mom even called him out for being single. Her remark stinging somewhere inside.

 

_ “When are you going to find a girlfriend? a boyfriend? someone?” then snickered “Ah right, who would ever want someone like you?” _

He also remembers his answer, suggesting a passage he had read  _ “In books, you’ll find a jade-like beauty, so why would I need a girlfriend or a boyfriend?”* _

It looked cool, yeah right but still his heart ached to at least find that jade-like beauty.

 

His thoughts are shattered when a book falls from the isle. He jumps, startled by the sudden noise and his boss stifles a laugh. “It’s just a book, don’t worry” he says before taking it and putting on top of the counter,  leaving the room for his own office after. 

 

“It’s just a book, right. Giving me almost an heart attack” Wonwoo murmurs, throwing a quick glance to the book. Its title reads as  _ Strange tales from a Chinese studio _ . He thinks about it.  _ Might as well reading this.  _

But when the bell rings, signaling a customer, he forgets about the book, leaving it alone on the counter.  _ Waiting for him _ .

 

***

A week later, after failing yet again an exam. 

 

Wonwoo locks his bedroom door, drags his feet until his body meets the soft surfaces of a fluffy bed.  But it feels cold stone when he hides his face in the pillows, muffling the sound of his tears. 

He blames himself. Because, well, the only problem is within himself. There is no need to blame someone else, deities, the world, people. No. He is his own problem. 

 

He cries himself to sleep, no dreams visits him. He doesn’t dream at night. He stopped doing so a while ago, because he dreams during the day, too caught up in his own fantasies to realize that the world awaits him. 

Two hours later and he is yet again awake. He turns around, trying to sleep again but he knows he can’t. He gets up, sitting over the edge of the bed, not feeling like leaving its space. Until something catches his attention. 

“That book again?” He whispers to himself, not really remembering bringing that book home. “I must be trippin” 

 

Standing up, he approaches the desk, picking the book up and going back to bed to read it. 

Might as well get over the fact that he failed yet again one of his exam while reading, hopefully, something interesting. 

It’s a collection of short stories, some of them funny, some of them morally incisive, others are humorously piece of realistic fantasy. He stops reading where he notices a paper cut-out. Small chinese characters reading 明玉* on the back. He turns it around, the image of an handsome boy engraved. 

 

He stifles a laugh “Is this what they meant that you can find a jade-like beauty in books?”. He shakes his head, closing the book and placing it back on the desk, the cut-out set on top of it. 

 

Better going back to bed.  At least no one bothers him in his sleep. Not even his mother. 

Wonwoo expected anything when waking up. Probably his mother screaming at him to get up, that he is a failure once again, that he will never marry. 

But the sight of a tall boy sitting on his desk, smiling sheepishly at him is not even something he would dream about. Not even day-dream about. 

 

The shorter boy stares at him, wondering whether his mind was playing tricks on him or was he finally dreaming about something while sleeping. He faints when the other speaks, getting down from the desk “Did you call me? I think you need me”. Eyebrows arching up and smirk playing on his lips. 

 

However the shock is too much for Wonwoo’s poor heart and sensitive mind. He faints, falling back on his bed, sprawled out.  The taller boy shakes his head in displeasure, huffing out and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “What a loser”. 

 

***

The tall, handsome one sits still next to the passed-out man on the bed. He eyes him carefully, noticing his feline-like features and sweet sweater-paws. He mumbles a  _ cute _ under his breath. He waits and waits until the other is waking up again, rubbing his eyes cutely. “So, are you okay?” 

Wonwoo jumps out, bringing an hand over his heart out of surprise. He mentally curses because nowadays something or someone is always scaring the shit out of him. 

He sighs “Are you real? where did you even come out?” 

 

The taller gets up and picks the forgotten book on the desk, opening it and scrolling through the pages. “You found me in here. You read the characters on the back of the cut-out, thus called me out” 

“Oh my, did I summon you?” Wonwoo pales, thinking he maybe had summoned a demon or something. He makes the other chuckle “I’m not a demon. I’m your weaving boy”

“My what-?!” 

“Your weaving boy”

“My weaving boy” the shorter repeats, pronouncing every syllable like he can’t understand or believe what’s happening. He must have finally gone crazy, officially. 

 

However, when the taller places his lips on him, bending down so that he can be closer to the shorter, Wonwoo feels something he has never felt before. Closure. 

But before he can process the feeling completely, he detaches himself from the other, shock clearly visible on his face. 

“Why did you kiss me?” 

“Because you and I are meant to be. I’m Mingyu. I’m that jade you are looking for. What are you waiting for?” Mingyu pauses, eyes awaiting and urging the other to make a move, get what he deserves, what he has been waiting for. 

 

Instead, displeased by the look of confusion on Wonwoo,  he is the one that urges forward. Lips searching lips, small pecks and lingering touches. Wonwoo is stuck and he knows it, stuck between reality and fantasy. What is actually going on?

He really wants to deepen the kiss, bringing Mingyu impossible closer to him but he just can’t. Doesn’t know how. 

So he detaches himself from the taller again, giving him a small smile and nodding weakly at him. “Okay” 

He gets up from the bed, sitting down in front of his desk, ready to drown himself in books again. He really needs to pass this time. He can’t afford to lose anymore. 

 

Mingyu pouts, sitting down on the bed than getting up and approaching the other and taking away his books “Why are you always studying or reading?” 

“Ya- give it back”

“No, you need to pay attention to me” 

 

Wonwoo sighs, shoulders dropping along his huffed breaths. “I need to study, Mingyu. My exams are coming up”. He says before opening his notebook, searching for his notes. 

Mingyu throws the book on the bed, narrowing his eyes and displeasure, clearly visible on his face. He doesn’t like being ignored, especially by the other he has waited all this time for. 

“Tsk, not even sparing me a glance. Okay then, good luck on your exams. You will miss me. Bye”. 

 

“Ming-” Wonwoo doesn’t have the time to finish his sentence, because when he is about to turn around he can’t find that jade-like beauty that stole, unconsciously, his heart at one glance. 

 

It’s late when he finishes studying, a midnight snack feeling heavy on his stomach as his heart quakes with worry for the other, for someone that could even be only a projection of his mind. 

He is scribbling down a last scheme when he has had enough. Wonwoo drops his pencil on the book, gripping at his hair in frustration and closes his notebook. 

He gets up, pacing back and forth, trying to understand how to bring the other back.  _ What do I do?  _

 

Unconsciously, he bites his nails when he notices that book peeking up from the bed sheets. “When did it even get here?” he picks it up, opening and searching through the pages for any  _ sign _ , turning page after page, carefully. 

He finds the cut-out again, in chapter 17.  “Mingyu” he whispers, calling his name, but the man on the paper won’t move. There’s annoyance painted along his features. That’s how he finds himself apologizing over a piece of paper. “I’m sorry but I really need to pass this exam. You know, I’m just-”   _ A choke.   _ “-a desperate person. I don’t really know what to do”. 

 

He mumbles apologies after apologies, dropping the book on the floor so that his can hide his face in his hands, set on his knees. 

After what felt like hours, most probably only minutes, an hand touches his hair, curling around them, petting through.  “You shouldn’t cry this much. You heart will hurt”.

Mingyu’s voice is soft.  _ Too soft.  _  It only makes Wonwoo sob more. 

 

“Breath, love. Breath”  the taller drops his head on his shoulder, running a hand on his back soothingly. “Everything’s going to be alright”

Wonwoo finds himself nodding at those sweet-nothings, turning his head so that he can look at the other. Dried up tears on his face. He gathers the courage to say, voice raspy. . “ _ You remind me of a time when things were not this complicated”  _

 

And he is almost blinded when Mingyu smiles a him, canines adorably showing. “Well, Wonwoo really knows how to use his words. But words don’t always play on me. You really need to change Wonwoo. This, your life is not healthy. You will grow hurt, day after day. You need to listen to me. Will you?”

 

“Will what you say help me?”

 

Mingyu nods “I will teach what I know so that I can see you smiling” 

 

***

Figuring out how to sneak out with a 6.0’ feet tall boy from your house, without your mom noticing, isn’t easy. It isn’t easy, especially when y _ our mom is basically a sentinel _ , always on the edge.

“Don’t speak, don’t even breath. She is going to notice” Wonwoo says before the try to go unnoticed. Mingyu nods twice, gripping at the other’s arm, looking more like a giant puppy. 

 

Wonwoo opens the door, inspecting for any hindrance. When he doesn’t spot any, he tugs the other along, not bothering to close the door. It looks like no one is in the house apart from them though. 

They manage to get out, locking the entrance hall and leaving before his mom comes back. “I can’t believe she is not at home” 

“Why?”

“Well, she leaves around 11 and it’s 9.30 right now. It’s strange” 

 

Mingyu holds his hand, giving him a reassuring smile as they walk to the shorter’s workplace. “At least we didn’t get caught”. Wonwoo almost groans at the idea, but keeps it to himself. However, Mingyu  _ notices _ it. 

“Is your relationship with her strained?” he asks, glancing at the other. There’s a pained look on his face, hidden behind a half-heartfelt smile.  His heart clenches. 

“Yeah, we are not really on good terms. I’m no more than a distaste to her” 

“How about your father?” 

“Not here anymore”  After this, Mingyu stops asking questions, not wanting to be the cause of past memories resurfacing and hurting Wonwoo furthermore. He is a deity afterall. He  _ knows _ . 

The walk to the bookstore is not that long. In a couple of more minutes, they reach it. “This is where I work”. But Mingyu actually knows its design by heart. He was trapped in that book for years, only allowed to release his human form for no more than an hour, and no one was ever around when it happened. 

Until it happened and Wonwoo was there, so he could not go out as he pleased. Until he called him, his voice bringing him back. 

 

“I like it here” he says, eyes used to the brown colours of the library. Wonwoo smiles at him, this time  _ heartfelt, _ because yes. This was his favourite place. 

His boss interrupts the moment, coming up and staring right up at Mingyu. 

His eyes inquiring, finger on his chin, as if he was thinking deeply.  “ehm.. boss?”

 

The boss raises his hand, showing his palm to signal a  _ wait a moment,  _ before he literally just circles around Mingyu, then stopping. “Where did I see you?”  Mingyu smiles awkwardly, coughing at some point. 

“Maybe you saw him along the streets” Wonwoo tries to reason, hoping that his boss had never read t _ hat book _ . 

 

The boss’s arms open in disbelief “But he looks like he came out from a book” and Wonwoo almost chokes on his own spit. 

“Oh well, I get that a lot. I’m too handsome” the taller cheeks out, smirking when his boss gives him a nasty look. “I have to be out for a couple of hours today, can you manage the shop alone?”

Wonwoo nods “No problem, boss. I can”

“Okay, well. I’m going. Call if there are any problem” he answers, eyeing Mingyu with suspicion. He throws his hands up when the handsome man gives him a grin, giving up on trying to understand where did he came from. 

 

When he leaves, Wonwoo releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Geez, I think he knows something”

Mingyu shrugs his shoulders “Maybe he saw my cut-out but I don’t think he will connect me to that. I mean, I’m unbelievable” 

“I quote that”

“But you believe me”

“Well, I’m not the only one who can see you, so you are not a projection of my imagination” 

***

The next few hours are quiet, attending a few customers or helping them choose a book that suited their tastes. When lunch comes around, he turns the cartel around, the world  _ closed _ painted on it. 

Mingyu had helped him a lot, and Wonwoo is sure happy with his company. It’s been a long time since he felt like this. “Do you want to see something?” 

“What something?”

“A place”

Mingyu’s eyes grow bigger with curiosity “Here?”. He tilts his head on the side, thinking that he would probably know this place like the back of his hand but the soft look on Wonwoo’s face sends him uwu.  “Okay, show me”

A hidden corner. For the first time, Mingyu doesn’t know anything. He has never been there, actually. “Wow, I can’t believe there is a hidden corner here” 

“This is where I hide when I feel like there is no answer in my life” Wonwoo confesses, voice quiet and eyes fixated on the shelves. Rows and rows of books, his boss’s private collection. 

It’s almost dreamy, but the dust is enough to make it real. 

“Do you find answers in books?” Mingyu asks, running his hands over a row of books that caught his attention.  _ Taoist philosophy. _

“Sometimes, but they usually don’t really apply to reality” 

“Yet, you found me in a book. Am I your reality now?” the taller asks, inching closer so that it’s easier to  _ pin him _ to the wall of books. 

Wonwoo’s breathes itches, gets caught in his throat, not expecting the sudden change of aura. With Mingyu so close to his body, to his lips, his mind wanders and wonders. 

“Don’t know how to answer me?”

“I didn’t open that book to find an answer” he says, eyes dropping to the lips so close to his, but not touching.  An hand touches his cheek, thumb rubbing across his skin. “I opened it because I was curious about its content” 

“You can find me there, if I disappear” the taller blurts out when his concentration decides to play a trick on him, too focuses on the things  _ he wanted to do to him. _

“mh?”

Wonwoo doesn’t have the time to answer further questions due to a warm pair of lips crashing on his. Mingyu’s body slightly bended over the other. It’s not like their first kiss, when Wonwoo didn’t even imagine it to happen.  He is conscious, wants it too, although awkward due to his inexperience. 

He reaches up, pulling him closer to himself when he feels Mingyu biting his lower lip, tugging it. He is too lost in it, when something stirs inside himself, setting warm in his lower belly. Hands caresses his sides, stopping at hip bones when the taller deepens the kiss. A warm tongue flicks over his palate, before nibbling at his lips, than on the crook of his neck. 

He lets out a moan, bringing an hand to his mouth when he notices it. 

Mingyu takes his hand off, intertwining with his own on the wall, sucking a purply love bite right under his collarbone. It stings a bit, he knows, but he soothes it gently, placing soft kisses around it. 

“I f-feel weird” Wonwoo breaths out, chest heaving up and down “It’s too warm in here”

It makes Mingyu stops his ministration to look properly at the other, fingers curling over his cheeks as he places a small peck on his lips. “It’s okay, It’s not wrong to feel this”

“Why do I feel so warm and fuzzy inside? Is this how it’s supposed to be?” Wonwoo’s eyes are almost teary, overwhelmed by feelings he never felt before. 

The latter nods, smiling brightly and eyes shining because he is the one able to make Wonwoo feel like this. He pets his hair, carding his fingers through the shiny, soft dark brown hair. “Warmth isn’t something you should feel scared of, I promise.  Will you remember it?” 

And for the first time in his life, Wonwoo feels like he is appreciated, believing in promises even though someone might say that everything is a lie.

***

The next step Mingyu teaches him is  _ how to be socially acceptable.  _ Which to him it’s new. Mingyu doesn’t want him to try hard and fit among people if he doesn’t feel like it. He only wants him to try not to be closed around himself, scared of what people might think.

He wants to teach him that if they don’t like you, it’s not your problem. It’s theirs. People will always try to find something wrong about you, so that they would feel better about themselves.

But not everyone is like this. There are people like you, that only wants to be able to call someone  _ their friend.  _ In the most genuine way.

That’s why after following him like a puppy during Wonwoo’s afternoon classes, Mingyu tells him to make friends, or at least try to start a conversation with someone. 

When they reach the cafeteria, Mingyu scans the room. He smirks when he notices someone  _ perfect  _ for his mission. He tugs Wonwoo’s elbow, interrupting his steps to whisper “Third table on the left, Americano in his hands, scribbling like his life depends on it. You can start from him”

When he actually realizes who his big pupp- ehm Mingyu was talking about, he mentally panics, turning around to face him “That’s Jihoon- no he is too scary for this”

Big puppy frowns, raising his eyebrow up “But he looks half your size”

“Yeah and double the satan”

He tries to leave but giggling, Mingyu takes him by the wrist, leading him to the third table on the left “Don’t worry, I’ll help you”

***

“Hi” Mingyu says, sitting down. He tugs Wonwoo down with him on the chair next to him “What’s your name?” 

Jihoon, as Wonwoo called him before, raises his head from the paper he was scribbling into, eyes wide because someone had really approached him. A string of curses and what the fucks runs through the boy’s mind.  “Who the fuck are you?” He says, twirling his pen around his finger like an habit. 

Mingyu laughs inside.  _ If I tell you who I really am, you’ll probably faint or throw you pen in my eye.  _ “Mh, Mingyu and this is Wonwoo”

Jihoon’s eyes linger a little bit on the other, softing a bit because he, too, knew what kind of person he was. Yes, Jihoon might be scary to people because he purposely wanted it too be so they won’t approach him, but he was also an attentive observer. He clears his throat “And so what? Do you need me for something?”

“Wonwoo wants to be friends with you” the taller of the three answers before Wonwoo tries to open his mouth to speak “Please, treat him well” 

He gets up, almost running out of the cafeteria but slowing down when he catches a few girls laughing. 

“Ehm…”

“So you want to be my friend”

“N- I mean yes” He mumbles, looking down “It would be nice, I actually like your songs”

At the mention of his songs, Jihoon gets pleased, pleased enough not to curse and behave. “Thanks, I guess”. He returns to his note when the other doesn’t say anything. But curiosity gets the best of him. He drops the pen on the tables and adjusts his cap.

“Okay, this is too weird. You usually avoid anyone, mostly me but I understand that. So why?”

Wonwoo looks up, focusing on the words to say “I’m trying to learn what friendship means and honestly, you are probably the only real person here” 

Okay, Jihoon didn’t expect such answer. “Then, I’ll be your friend. Want to help me writing a song? I know you write good essays”

Okay, Wonwoo didn’t expect such reaction. His eyes grows big in surprise “Really? Are you for real?”. Jihoon nods, sliding the paper in front of him. “It’s about staying truth to what you say and act upon it” 

“Is this a diss track?” The taller asks, perplexed by the some words. Jihoon smirks “Maybe I didn’t write this song. A few old friends are working on it, and I’m helping them. But I’m stuck too.”

“And how can I help you?”

“Just help me find a title”

“How about  _ un haeng il chi _ ?”  Oh. Jihoon feels so pleased about it. Finally someone who actually knows shit. 

  
  


On the other side, Mingyu looks at them giggling to himself, not caring if people are passing by and shooting judging glares to him. “I need to find that guy a boyfriend too”

***

_ Secondary mission: find Jihoon a boyfriend  _

 

Wonwoo and Jihoon were discussing animatedly about something. Lately, the taller had been talking so much, someone might not believe it. Music, books. They talk about anything, helping each other out eventually.

 

Mingyu had gone off somewhere Wonwoo didn’t know, and that worried him. The chit chat eases him a little, and he can finally drink his coffee without risking tachycardia when he sees him arriving. Mingyu sits down, greeting the two but secretly,  _ not so secretly _ blowing Wonwoo a kiss. 

 

It does stir something in Wonwoo. In Jihoon as well since grimace sits well on his face. But the hand placed on his leg, inching closer to his inner thigh, has him almost choking on his coffee.

Then as if nothing happened, Mingyu winks at Jihoon, pinching the soft flesh covered jn blue jeans.  “I found you a boyfriend”

Jihoon almost chokes on his coke too, a napkin passed his way, while Wonwoo tries not to squeak.   “What are you even saying?” Jihoon says, drying the cola on his hand.

“I’m not kidding, look who’s coming here” he says, pointing to the cafeteria entrance. 

 

Jihoon knows exactly who he is. Kwon Soonyoung walks directly down to their table. He approaches them, smiling wide so that his eyes disappears in thin fissures. Jihoon stares at him for a good 5 minutes, before he mutters a quiet  _ cute _ . Everyone smirking at him.

 

                                                                    ***

Teaching how him how to love  _ without inhibition _

 

Wonwoo kicks his shoes aside, followed by Mingyu but he takes his away to his room so that his mom won’t notice. “Why is my mom never home recently?”

And Mingyu knows he is guilty of something he might not chose to say right now.  _ Well, guess what? I made her boss give her extra hours shift.  _

“isn’t she at work?” he asks, following the other upstairs to his bedroom and closing the door behind them. 

“I don’t even know, actually. Should I call her?” Wonwoo asks, contemplating between calling his mom or choosing to ignore her like she did to him.

 

Mingyu throws himself on the soft bed, removing his shirt in the process because he feels hot. “I don’t think you should call her, but she is still your mom so”

“W-what the hell are you doing?” 

“Removing my shirt?” Mingyu deadpans, throwing his shirt to the shorter boy who stands on his feet, staring a little bit too intensely, a little bit too contradicting to what he knows he wants to say. 

 

“W-whatever, I’m calling her” he says, plopping himself on his bed while tapping his mother’s phone number. It rings once,twice, thrice but she doesn’t pick up. He tries again, to only gain the same result. A look of frustration sets on Wonwoo’s features, but Mingyu is there too ease everything. 

He takes his phone away, interrupting the call that had no answer, before pulling the other over him. Wonwoo gasps, surprised and he is ready to push the taller away when Mingyu presses a kiss to his forehead. “Are you scared? I can feel your aura changing”

 

With his hands on a firm chest, he looks away as if Mingyu’s eyes were too much to look at. Well, too much for himself because he knows the deity would know anyway. “I’m not, just..”

 

“Why are you looking away from me then?” Mingyu asks, running his hands over the human’s back, pressing on the right points so that the other would  stop trying to lean away, but actually lean on him. 

 

“You know why” Wonwoo manages to whisper, as the deity presses rubbing circles on his lower back, leading him to a puddle of feelings. 

An hand runs up, taking hold of his left cheek, bringing his chin up. “I want you to look at me with your eyes open, don’t shy away” 

“And if I won’t?” 

“I’ll disappear.” Mingyu warns, eyes hardening for a short fraction but going soft as he catches the pain lurking in Wonwoo’s eyes, when he opens them. 

He is caught by surprise when Wonwoo lands his lips on his. He expected the other to get up and throw something at him for the simple but painful remark, not the other to give himself to him.

Pleading eyes. It was not begging but they way Wonwoo looked at him, meant one thing.  _ I need you. Don't go away. _

And Mingyu really wanted to stay with him, to love him but he knew he could only teach him how, not share his forever with him. He doesn’t think his own mom would allow it.

 

He dives back in, taking everything that Wonwoo is. Soft, rough around the edges because of the pain hiding in his heart. Mingyu kisses him like he wants  _ him _ to feel wanted, loved.

If he can teach him how, if he can impress on Wonwoo's mind that he, too, is capable of loving and being loved back. Not matter how many flaws he thinks he has.

 

Probably, he is not the best teacher out there. But he hopes his genuine feelings, the ones he hides to himself, will reach Wonwoo. So that the shorter would make the most of it, understand it, leaving it engraved on his heart, on his mind. In the most positive way.

 

Though, he leaves  _ it  _ engraved on his skin as well, when softer kisses lead to deeper ones. And deeper ones lead to the need of pressing skin onto skin, breath labored and beads of sweat rolling down their temples.

 

Mingyu swallows Wonwoo's moans down, when he trusts up, diving in like Wonwoo is the ocean and the taller is ready to let both of themselves drown in.

Wonwoo knows now what it feels like to drown in love, as Mingyu presses kisses down his shoulder after his high, calming him down and lulling him to his own oblivion. A sweet, spiral-like oblivion.

  
  


***

 

Days are passing by. Wonwoo has never felt so content with himself, even his essays are getting an higher grade and he even passed his general linguistic exam.

Mingyu stills eyes him badly when he takes out his books, but chooses to sits with him, helping him reviewing or draping his shoulders with a duvet so he won't freeze his ass. He is thankful, he really is. Because of him, Wonwoo can finally breathe easier. 

 

“Finally, your class is finished. I was freezing my ass out here in the cold” Mingyu whines as he tucks Wonwoo's hand in his pocket, pouting because feisty deity aside, he is a big, fluffy and clingy puppy. 

“I'm sorry, professor Hong likes to drag out his lessons.” said boy answers, now confident enough to intertwine their fingers inside a pocket, without blushing or stuttering.

And oh, Mingyu likes it. Likes it a lot when the human confronts him and makes him aware that he has also other responsibilities to take care of. Likes it a lot when Wonwoo initiates skinship in private rooms, searching for warmth.

 

He likes it less when his mom appears in front of them, arms crossed over her chest and eyebrow arched up. She is wearing her royal clothes. FUCK SHE IS WEARING HER ROYAL CLOTHES.

He tries to ignore her like he doesn't know she is his mom, pulling Wonwoo along with him down another path but when his mom calls his name, laced with ice and something he cannot pinpoint out, he stops in his tracks.

He turns around, gripping Wonwoo's hand harder and almost hiding him behind his back. “Mingyu what is going on?” he asks, looking back and forth between the two.

 

“She is my mom and she is angry” Mingyu answers, shifting on his feet when a particular hard stare is casted on him. 

“Are you Wonwoo?” Mingyu's mom retorts to him, eyes stills hard but somewhat softer because she is not looking at her troublemaker son. Wonwoo nods twice, feeling stares on him. Stares from Mingyu, stares from his mom, stares from people passing by and eying them badly.

 

“I need to talk to Mingyu in private, would you mind going back home first?” 

“But..” 

“Please, Wonwoo just go. I'll come home soon” Mingyu reassures, kissing his cheek quickly and reluctantly. Wonwoo pulls away, bowing to his mom and walking to his house, uneasy feeling in his stomach.

Mingyu smiles awkwardly. “Mom, I can expla-”

She takes him by the ear, dragging him away with her in a darker corner of the streets, interrupting his excuses. “Cut it out, you are going to get scolded real good now”.

 

Soon enough, the dark corner becomes full of lights, scent of peaches lingering around each edge and he knows they are not on earth anymore.

His mom releases his ear, putting her hands on her hips as she watches her son trying to soothe his ear. “You know what will happen. You can't stay with him much longer. You will bring him misfortune. He has already had enough.” 

 

As a beaten puppy, he lowers his head down and he hears his mom sigh when she practically reads his mind, reads his answers. “Say it out loud”

 

“I think I might have fallen for him, hard.” 

 

“Are you in love with him or with the idea of getting yourself free from your own home?” 

 

Mingyu's grow bigger, offense scattered along his face. “I love him, mom. Your hypothesis won't change this fact”

 

“Love?” she starts, crossing her arms back at her chest “If you love him, you’ll set him free. He will live the life he deserves, but you can't be in his picture”  _ at least not like this. You both will face misfortune, you will grow to hate and destroy each other if you do. _

 

And for the first time in his life, Mingyu sheds tears, salty and worried. “But what if he will hate me?”

 

“He won’t. You’ve shown him that his life is worth of” she says, gaze softening because at the end of the day, she understands it.

 

“Can I at least explain it to him?”

 

“I give you 30 min, make the most of it” 

 

***

 

He should have seen it coming. Good things don’t last forever. They are not supposed to. At least  for him. Keep breathing. Keep on breathing. That’s what he reminds himself while he waits on his bed, alone. 

Wonwoo just knows how this is going to unfold. Mingyu is going to leave him. Probably never coming back to him. He sighs and ruffles his fluffy dark brown hair in frustration. 

 

The door opens, and for a fraction of time, he thinks his mother is here to yell or scold him. Instead warmth embraces him and unconsciously, tears run free. A pained sob echoes in the silent room. It feels stuffy. Everything. His insides. The room. This embrace. 

 

He cries out, clutching at his chest as if he was choking and crying from somewhere deep inside he didn’t know he had. Mingyu can only hold him tight, running his fingers through fluffy hair. He kisses Wonwoo’s temples, patting his back slowly. “Sshh.. Wonwoo, don’t cry” 

 

Wonwoo wipes his tears away, a sad look casted upon him. Hiccupping, he starts “Y-you”. A small sad smile encourages him to speak, while fingers dries his tears for him. “You have to leave” It’s not a question. Wonwoo just knows. 

The taller nods, pecking his lips and pulling the other in a tight bear hug. He doesn’t want to let go. “Mom said I have to go back to palace” he says, cheek pressed on cheek. Voice barely a whisper. “I have to go back and I’m so sorry”

 

Wonwoo really tries not to cry again, but he can’t manage. The tears have a mind of its own. “W-why..?” 

It breaks Mingyu’s heart. The pain in his voice. The feeling of being unable to change that. “It will bring misfortune. I don’t want to ruin you”

 

“I’m ruined already and you know it” 

 

Mingyu won’t accept this statement. He takes his face in his hands, cupping towards his face. Eyes serious, lips moving on his own “You are not, Wonwoo. You are not. You are young, intelligent and have so much potential. You need to live. You need to be yourself. You are you. Nothing else. Not ruined. Not perfect either. But you are you. And that’s the best of everything”. 

 

He takes his amber-jaded necklace from his neck and claps it back on Wonwoo. “Take this with you. As a reminder of my words today. Please?” 

Wonwoo finds himself nodding, heart warm because of the words of encouragement, even though it aches. He touches the pendant, gripping it. “I won’t forget, I promise” 

***

“So you are telling me that your Mingyu boy is some kind of supernatural prince of some kind  supernatural world?” Jihoon breaks the ice, interrupting the awkward silence had set after Wonwoo’s revelation to him. 

He nods, throwing himself on Jihoon’s bed and sadly cocooning with his duvets. “He is a weaving boy”

 

Jihoon’s face contorts in a confused grimace “What that hell is that supposed to mean?” but he can’t hear Wonwoo’s answer, muffled by the covers he has pulled over his face. Something lights up in his head. “I guess I might pull some strings and asks a certain suspicious hamster I know”.

 

But that’s going to wait. Wonwoo needs him now and Jihoon knows he is hiding his covers crying. “Wonwoo, I like you and everything but no fluids in my bed”

A pillow is thrown his way for the questionable remark, but he jumps on the bed, hugging the living life out of his friend. “Everything is going to be okay”

 

“B-but how you believe me so easily?” Wonwoo asks, tears running freely again while wipes his eyes dry.  “We became friends thanks to him” Jihoon deadpans “That’s some supernatural shit going on” 

 

***

Jihoon had been suspicious about someone ever since it began. Currently, his boyfriend is in handcuffs. Yeah, in handcuffs. 

“Do you really need me to be handcuffed to the bed to ask me questions?” Soonyoung is sure they are going to leave a mark on his wrist and he doesn’t know if he should feel aroused or not. But the look on Jihoon tells him  _ straight _ away that he is not going to get to dick him down. 

 

Jihoon nods, standing with his arms crossed against his chest and narrowing his eyes. “What do you know?”

“About what?” 

“About Mingyu” he approaches the other, taking a feather from his back pocket ready to attack. Soonyoung grimaces in fear “Ya- yah Jihoon, don’t you dare!”

 

Jihoon stops in his track, pulling the feather away “Then freaking tell me”. He watches his boyfriend sigh and drop his gaze down as if he was thinking. “Mingyu can’t stay here forever, his place is in his palace, that’s how it’s going to be” 

“dude, it’s not really hard to understand that” Jihoon deadpans, getting Soonyoung restless “Omg, then why are you doing this tooo meee? Jiiiiii” 

 

The shorter rolls his eyes, removing the handcuffs and putting them away “Because it’s fun to tease you. Anyways, if you knew it. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THEN?” 

Soonyoung is ready to answer but a smack is placed on his chest, making him fall back on the bed and hitting his head against the headboard.  _ Freaking gods  _ “ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE ME TOO? OMG DID YOU GET HURT?” 

 

Only a groan leaves Soonyoung mouth before he sits up and sighs OUTLOUD “I’m not going to leave you. I chose to live as a human and here I am”

“Thank god, I was ready to prepare a voodoo doll of you” 

 

Not even Mingyu’s mother could scare the shit out of him like Jihoon did. No, not even close. 

  
  


                                                                       ***

 

5 years later

 

It’s not like Wonwoo forgot about  _ him. _ He never did, but after 5 years he learned how to cope with absence. Afterall, he was already used to it. He also learned that he is his own company at times, and maybe hopes that from wherever his big fluffy puppy is, at least he is watching over him. 

He graduated, finally. He even got a job as literature teacher in a university and a chance to help out kids in creative writing lab. He couldn’t ask for more, really. Even his mom is pleased with him right now. 

 

One thing stresses him when he remembers about it. _Where the hell did that book go? I can’t find it anywhere._ He thinks as he walks down the isles of the outer corridor of his university. Usually, there are students chatting or going to put their books back in the library but today is quiet. Wonwoo likes soo much. He likes it less when he see two guys fight with each other. _My peace, where are you?_

 

“Stop trying to control me! Go away, I’ve made my decision” he sees the taller of the two yell, trying to get rid of the shorter’s hands on his wrist. “You are hurting us with your behaviour” he  hears the shorter say as he walks closer, and literally skips to them when he sees the shorter ready to hit. 

“Yah, what the fuck are you doing? fights in school is-” Wonwoo feels his breath get stuck in his throat as he takes a better look on the two, especially on the taller.  _ Am I hallucinating? you miss him so much you start seeing him in other people? _

 

“You pussy,  what? what do you want? I need to teach this kid a lesson. Get lost!” the shorter spats at him, catching his attention, allowing him to think right for a moment. 

Wonwoo’s raises his eyebrow “Per say,  I have a dick. And I’m a teacher here. Are you both students of this university?”

 

The taller, who looks way to much like his Mingyu nods twice, gaining a punch on his side from the shorter unknown man. Wonwoo is pissed. He doesn’t like violence, more than everything if it happens under his watch. He doesn’t like doing this either but he needs to do it. He takes advantage of his own height, takes the shorter man by his ear and drags him after him. “You are coming with me to the principal. I’m gonna make sure you get punished and,”

“You, come with us. what’s your name?” 

 

“Kim Mingyu” 

 

Wonwoo’s heart leaps for a moment, sinks and resurfaces back once again. He isn’t sure whether he is  _ him _ or not. Eventually, he shooks his head. “Let’s get your treated”  

 

                                                                   ***

  
  


Like he had promised, Wonwoo manages to get that dickhead expelled from university. He just can’t believe it. People these days and their bad attitudes. 

He takes a round back to the infirmary before he needs to head back home to check on the other guy. He tries to conceal the fact that he is curious. He wants to know why he looks EXACTLY like  _ he  _ did. He even had  _ his name.  _

 

A small part of him doesn’t want to know though. A small part of him wants to just forget that even though  _ he  _ had taught him  _ how to love,  _ he.. just couldn’t love somebody else the same. 

It’s funny, he thinks. Like all of that maybe was just part of his own imagination. Maybe he is even in coma, dreaming about all of this. But at least this reality is not hurting him like his past one. 

 

5 minutes. He waits 5 minutes before entering the infirmary. Just as he thinks he has control over himself, the small smile set on this Mingyu’s face, brings him back to memories he clung to, tight at times. He clears his throat before speaking “So are you okay?” 

A blinding smile, canine showing like  _ he _ once did, is thrown at his way. Wonwoo wants to escape from all of this. He takes the smile as a yes, turns back and he is about to leave when he feels an hand gripping at his wrist.  _ And the feeling is once again back, like it had never left.  _  “Did you forget about me?”

 

Wonwoo thinks that this is too funny to be real. He doesn’t turn around, closing his hand in a fist, trying to avoid pressure bringing him down. Churning, he chooses to play it fool. “I don’t know what are your talking about” 

 

“Wonwoo” 

 

That soft voice, again. He remembers  _ oh so well _ how it called him during the day, at night. And he just can’t anymore. He has never been a play it like a fool type of person. “What, Mingyu? Do you expect me to be at your feet?” he asks, turning around “I don’t know you”

 

Yeah, it hurts. But Mingyu understands. “Did the grief turn into anger?” 

 

Wonwoo rolls his eyes, taking his wrist out of his hold and putting his hands in his pockets. “Can’t I even sulk now?” 

 

Just as cute as always, Mingyu thinks and gets up, removing the covers from his body and corning the other to the near wall  _ like he once had done _ . “No, I’m just asking” 

The shorter gulps down, his mind almost failing just as much as his body to the taller. “Don’t you know about space?” 

 

“I’m a fool who only knows you” Mingyu says, voice coming out as a whisper when he notices the amber-jaded necklace he had given him 5 year prior. He plays with it, twirling the pendant, and Wonwoo.. well, he just gets stuck. It’s like he is sinking in and not being able to resurface. Because once again, he was always  _ all of his. _

 

***

_ I can’t believe, I brought him home again _ . The first thing Wonwoo does, like an old habit he cannot fix, is throw himself on his bed. Mingyu follows silently after, almost afraid of breaking something. 

“When did you became so quiet?” Wonwoo asks him, breaking the ice and sitting up, legs crossing over each other. “You can sit down, you know” 

And Mingyu just does that, sitting down, scared to talk because he is afraid the other wouldn’t want him anymore. He actually knows Wonwoo’s pain, saw it from up above during the years but it’s only now that he could come back to him. 

 

It takes a warm hand, but slightly colder fingertips on his cheek to wake him up from his own thoughts. He turns his head to stare at the shorter, his hand still on his cheek. And he just can’t take it anymore. “I’m sorry” he says, before he is all over the shorter, kissing and biting his lips. 

“W-wait, Mingyu” Wonwoo turns his face away, Mingyu’s lips landing on his cheek in the process and doesn’t move from there. Waits for him to speak up.  “You need to explain things to me. You can’t just enter in my life again like this” 

 

“I made a choice” he sits up, creating a space between them but filling it with his hand closing around the other’s. 

 

“What kind of choice?”

 

Mingyu smiles at him, pecking the back of his hand and intertwining their fingers. Wonwoo can’t help but stare at them, and his breath itches and gulps down hard when he gets the answer he wouldn’t even imagine of getting. “I chose to be human so that I could come back to you”

 

“W-what? B-but..”

 

“There are no more buts, Wonwoo  _ hyung _ ” He stresses the last word with a smirk, pulling the other into himself by the hand, but they are both too clumsy, ending up falling with a soft thud on the bed.  

“AM I OLDER?”  Wonwoo shouts, voice higher and confused. And he facepalms himself when he gets a question as an answer.  “Is this the only thing you worry about when you are on top of me?” 

He takes him by the ear, earning a pained groan and a grimacing voice. “Ya-ya W-wonwoo hyung, stop it. C-come on” 

“This what you get for leaving me alone for 5 LONG YEARS”  

 

Mingyu sighs, pouts like the small child he actually is. “Not even a small kiss.. didn’t you miss m-”. Wonwoo shuts him up, pressing his lips firmly on his. Fingers coming up to his cheeks to pucker up his mouth. “This is it. You are going to gain my trust back if you want something more than this”. 

The taller removes his hand from his face, so that he can properly speak. “My cute hyung, you know I can win your ass back. Don’t worry” 

A hand slaps his chest, playfully of course. “Language”  but he fails to contain. Laughter just wins him over. And he fills warm, so warm. 

 

Mingyu stares at him, a smile forming on his lips as he sees sparkly eyes, not sad ones. He thinks he made the right decision. He hopes his mum understands that this man over here needed him more than his world needed him. And he, too, blinded by what humans call love, is utterly, completely, desperately in need of Wonwoo. 

**Author's Note:**

> This was fun to write, actually helped me ease my mind from uni session and sudden weak health. I hope you like it and actually enjoy it.  
> Thank for reading **
> 
> PS. Will proofreaded it when I'm not too lazy to do it lol
> 
> PSS. forgot to say that this is inspired by yet another chinese work LOL It's based on one of the stories contained in Bu Song Ling's tales from a chinese studio. I don't remember the number of the tale but it's in vol.6  
> I actually reccomend it, they are very interesting stories


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